Kevin texted Blake: [This isn't a place you should come. Whoever you came with, go back to Ventropolis with that person immediately.]Blake took a shower and walked out of the bathroom. She then expressionlessly looked at the messages on her phone, which was on the table.She thought, 'So now you're worried about me. I've sent you so many messages before; why have you never replied?'However, as usual, Kevin managed to make Blake feel he cared about her with just his brief messages.Kevin texted her again: [I'm coming to find you.]That was the last message he sent her.Blake immediately picked up her phone and cursed, "Jerk! You finally decided to come looking for me now. Where were you before this?"She looked at her bare-faced reflection in the mirror and quickly took out her makeup from her bag; she planned to apply a simple makeup look. As she applied lipstick, she smiled, feeling satisfied that her appearance was decent enough to meet Kevin.After changing her clothes, he

Kevin dropped Blake off near the guarded compound and drove away.When she returned to her room, she found that Cecilia had not come back yet since last night.Blake did not care where she had gone. She tiredly walked to the bathroom, wanting to take a shower. But as soon as she entered the bathroom, she thought of something and decided to walk back into the bedroom. She then lay on the bed with a pillow under her waist.She thought, 'This is a foolish idea, but I have no other choice.'When Cecilia returned, she saw Blake sleeping soundly and a pillow on the floor. When she walked closer to Blake, she noticed some marks under her collar and could guess what happened.Cecilia looked serious as she pondered, 'Why is she so wrong-headed?'Liam isn't any worse than Kevin. Why must Blake fall for a man with no background and status?'Cecilia did not rest the entire night. She went to take a shower before getting into bed and lay beside Blake.When Blake woke up in the afternoon and

The light in Blake's eyes seemed to fade as she struggled to find her voice, "Was this your plan or Liam's?"Cecilia responded with a soft laugh, shaking her head, "You'd break Liam's heart if he heard you now. You always say he's different from me, but think about it, what's your opinion of him now? Remember what I told you? Liam returned to his family for your sake!" Cecilia's voice was emphatic, "He's always acted with your best interests in mind. Why don't you check your phone? See how many messages he's sent you?"Since disembarking from the private jet, Blake had kept her phone silenced. Apart from messages from Kevin, she had yet to check any others.Cecilia left the room, advising, "Freshen up and join me for dinner. We're heading back to Ventropolis tonight."Blake was about to check her phone when she realized it was out of battery. After charging it, she saw that Cecilia was right. Liam had sent her a barrage of messages, nearly forty or fifty, all expressing his concern

Blake gazed at her phone resting on the bathroom sink. It vibrated with a new message from Liam, reading: [You've just returned. Take a few days to rest at home. I can manage things at the office for now.]As she read the message, Blake's thoughts drifted to Cecilia's suggestion of marrying Liam to prevent further crimes. She recalled learning about the dark history of Madelyn's family from Simon. The Jent family had been a prominent force in Ventropolis, respected by high-ranking officials. Yet, their behind-the-scenes actions were far from honorable.Lost in these thoughts, Blake suddenly felt dizzy. Her hand reached out to brace herself against the sink. Flashbacks of a dark basement flooded her mind, echoing with the cries of a young girl no older than six or seven devouring a bun given by a shadowy figure.The cacophony of the memories overwhelmed Blake. She clutched her head as a piercing pain surged through her. She endured the excruciating sensation, which eventually ebbed a

Grace quietly left the room with the maid after making sure Blake was soundly asleep. Grace answered the call with a cool tone as she descended the stairs, "Ms. Samford?""Mrs. Harper," came Cecilia's response.With a stern expression, Grace replied, "Ms. Samford, I've made it clear before; if Blake chooses to acknowledge you, we won't interfere. But any further attempts to manipulate our family will not be tolerated. Do not call again, or we will consider it harassment."With a decisive click, Grace ended the call.In her office, Cecilia stared at her phone, her eyes seething with anger. She realized that as long as the Harper family was in Ventropolis, Blake would never accept her. She was determined to remove the Harpers from the city.'I've worked tirelessly to provide Blake a better life,' Cecilia thought. 'Whether she likes it or not, I'm determined to see her as Mrs. Xander. Madelyn, your life was spared because of her. Stay hidden, or else...'Cecilia then sent a message